


(reluctant) allies

by sora_grey



Series: the bonds we share [5]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Episode Related, Episode: s03e11 Alpha Pact, Gen, Heart to Heart Conversation, Holding Hands, Isaac Lahey & Lydia Martin Friendship, Lydia-centric, Missing Scene, dammit this should've happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-03-05
Packaged: 2018-05-21 11:05:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6049285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sora_grey/pseuds/sora_grey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She and Isaac were like two sides of the same coin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	(reluctant) allies

If Lydia had to pick which of the others was the most similar to her, she would've gone straight to Isaac. The two of them were lonely people, though they dealt with that loneliness in very different ways. For her, she attempted to fill that void by becoming a social butterfly, and never once letting _anyone_ see the real her. With Isaac, he cut himself off from everyone else.

She posited that this was one of the many reasons why she didn't reach out to him sooner. His preferred method of isolation was more severe and ran much deeper than hers ever did, and she couldn't imagine herself befriending someone so damaged. The fact that he once tried to kill her hadn't helped either. 

Now they were on the same side, though they viewed each other as reluctant allies. They could be in the same room when it was necessary, but for the most part they tended to avoid each other. With their past interactions and respective trust issues, it wasn't really that surprising. 

The only other thing they seemed to have in common was the fondness they shared for the same three people. They both loved Allison, had pledged their loyalty to Scott, and trusted Stiles. And they would've done anything in their power to protect the others. 

But she and Isaac were against drowning them, especially after he confessed that he'd done this too, in order to recover the memories the Alphas stole from him. Upon hearing that, Lydia threatened to back out, citing that it was too risky. Isaac, who had turned a particularly nasty shade of green, begged them to find another way. They, in good conscience, couldn't let their friends _—no, their pack—_ die, let alone help them do so. It was only after taking in Allison's defiant stare, the wrecked helplessness in Stiles' face, and Scott's quiet determination that they were forced to back down. 

Afterwards, she and Isaac remained silent for several minutes, horrorstruck over what they'd just done. It soon occurred to her that it was only the two of them in the room now, Deaton having left earlier to do whatever he needed to do. 

Isaac had been jittery, pacing around the room until she asked him to stop, because it was making her dizzy. He frowned at her half-heartedly before he decided to sit on the floor instead. She followed suit, taking a place near but—not next to—him.

 _Lydia?_ he asked, finally breaking the silence. His eyes were focused on the three tubs in front of them. 

_Yeah?_

_I'm, uh, I'm—_ he stuttered, the tips of his ears turning red. Lydia bit back a groan. Was her nervous because of her? The last time he'd been so tongue-tied was after he attempted to ask her out freshman year. She nearly broke out in hysterical laughter over this, because they definitely weren't the same people anymore. Now they were two frightened teenagers caught in a power struggle between the Alphas and the Darach. 

It dawned on her that Isaac was gonna apologize for what went down between them last year, which saddened her. That mattered to her once, hadn't it? _It's okay. Really,_ she said softly, cutting him off before he could say anything else. 

A ghost of a smile graced his lips, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Oh god, his _eyes._ They were brimming with so much _pain_ and _anger_ and _loss._ Half of that reason was probably due to missing Boyd and Erica. Even though she hadn't really known them, it was clear that their deaths were still affecting him. 

She remembered what that crushing grief felt like, to a lesser degree. She experienced it after her father left. And then again with Jackson. And now they might lose Allison, Scott, and Stiles too. 

_Hey,_ she said, linking their pinkies together. She wondered whether she'd done it for his benefit or hers. Maybe it was both. She tried steadying her heartbeat, not wanting him to hear her distress. _They'll come back._ For Issac's sake, she hoped they would, because otherwise it would destroy him. 

He half-nodded, shifting their fingers so he was clasping her hand instead. _But what if they don't?_ he countered, his voice cracking. Before Lydia could point out that he did, he suddenly pressed his face against her shoulder and let out harsh, broken sobs.

 _Shit, fuck,_ Lydia said, pulling Isaac closer. She ran an unsteady hand through his messy blonde curls, in an effort to soothe him. Even amongst all the chaos, she had never seen him appear so vulnerable and her heart ached for this boy who had lost so much already. _I'm here, Isaac. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere._ Somewhere between the motel and nearly being garroted, he became just as important to her as the others. This strange new relationship they had forged had completely erased their old one. There were no longer any walls between them, and she felt like she could trust herself around him now. Maybe someday the two of them could even be friends. 

Whatever else happened, Lydia was thankful that Isaac was right by her side.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on April 25th, 2014 on ff.net


End file.
